Rescue personnel help an injured woman after a car ran into a large group of protesters after an white nationalist rally in Charlottesville, Va., Saturday, Aug. 12, 2017. The nationalists were holding the rally to protest plans by the city of Charlottesville to remove a statue of Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee. There were several hundred protesters marching in a long line when the car drove into a group of them.PHOTO:AP Photo/Steve Helber

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3 Dead After Clashes at White Nationalist Rally

By The Associated Press

CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA - Three people are dead after clashes between white nationalists and counter-protestors in Charlottesville, Virginia, and a state police helicopter crash

Authorities say a 20-year-old Ohio man accused of driving a car into a group of counter-protesters at a white nationalist rally has been charged with second-degree murder and other counts.

The Charlottesville Police Department said in a statement Saturday night that James Alex Fields Jr. of Ohio also faces three counts of malicious wounding, and one count related to leaving the scene.

Col. Martin Kumer, superintendent of the Albemarle-Charlottesville Regional Jail, said Fields was in custody there Saturday night. Kumer says he doesn't believe Fields has obtained an attorney yet.

He says a bond hearing is scheduled for Monday.

A hospital official says one person has died and 19 were injured when the car plowed into the group.

University of Virginia Medical Center spokeswoman Angela Taylor confirmed the death to The Associated Press.

The mayor of Charlottesville said via Twitter on Saturday that he is "heartbroken" to announce that a "life has been lost." He did not provide details.

Meanwhile, Virginia state police said one of their agency's helicopters crashed outside Charlottesville, killing two troopers.

Police said the helicopter was assisting law enforcement officers monitoring the white nationalist rally in Charlottesville.

Police said Lt. H. Jay Cullen of Midlothian and Trooper-pilot Berke M.M. Bates of Quinton were killed in the crash.

The crash happened just a few hours after the car plowed into a crowd of people.

A woman who identified herself as Field's mother says he told her he was going to the rally.

Samantha Bloom, of Ohio, confirmed details about her son's car and his trip to Virginia, saying she received a text from him last week that said he'd gotten some time off from work and was going to a rally.

She said her son hadn't given her any details about the rally but that she told him "to be careful" and to peaceful.

Bloom became visibly upset as she learned that dozens of people were injured during the rally in Charlottesville.

Bloom said she and Fields had just relocated to the Toledo area from Florence, Kentucky, a Cincinnati suburb

The organizer of the rally that drew hundreds of white nationalists and other extremists says he disavows the violence that eroded it.

Jason Kessler said in an interview Saturday evening that whoever drove a car into a group of counter-protesters "did the wrong thing." He said he was saddened that people were hurt.

Kessler is a local blogger and activist who described the event as a pro-white rally. He planned it to protest the city's decision to remove a Confederate monument of Robert E. Lee.

He also criticized law enforcement's response to the event, which was dispersed before speakers could take the stage.

He said they did a poor job controlling the chaos to allow free speech.

DeusVult, Paducah has a City Commission and not a City Council. The fact that you don't know that suggests that you are an internet troll that doesn't live in or near Paducah -- and/or that you're really not very aware.

Amen DeusVult! It does now appear however, that the Star picked up on the counter petitions! New article, but still no comments allowed! At least they did the right thing and posted the links to the counter petitions!!

MAGA, I was actually just about to post about the irony of Paducah City Council issuing a statement about "be[ing](sic) proactive and do[ing] the uncomfortable work of having honest dialogue about our own history, biases, and challenges." This coming from a City Council who cancelled the meeting on the Confederate Flag because it was "disrespectful" and yet they have the audacity to say they want open dialogue about this issue via a press release on this website that disabled comments. (I know it was released elsewhere, but be sure and put down your real name with LogYourFacebook.) Of course no one knows who created the original petition, let alone that people who do not even live here joined in on it. Everyone should remember how these socialists are trying to erase history they don't agree with (historical revisionism: our mayor touts this theory, look into it), and when elections come around next time, vote for someone who will bring back jobs, jobs, jobs. This identity politik stuff and feel-good language needs to take a backseat to the important issues, and if no one else will go up against these marxist sorority sisters, I will. You will all know who I am when it comes time. Let's put an end to political correctness and focus on prosperity and success; not dragging behind and reducing everything to the lowest level.

Anyone notice that the Star has conveniently removed the links for comments on the article about Removing the Confederate Statues? There are 3 other petitions that are countering this petition with far more signatures than the one the article describes. Go to Change.org and search for 'Paducah' and read the opposing petitions. Over 3,500 signatures on the 3 combines so far, and counting quickly.

All mankind are daughters and sons of a loving ETERNAL HEAVENLY FATHER, created in HIS image and likeness. If we would see each other as HE sees us then we would see each other as truly sisters and brothers. But because we live on a telestial type earth, the times of tribulation will not end until conditions on earth are right for the second coming of the REDEEMER of all mankind, JESUS CHRIST. The involuntary enslavement of humans is from lucifer. This is why the CSA started the war of rebellion.

"As regards the erection of such a monument as is contemplated, my conviction is, that however grateful it would be to the feelings of the South, the attempt in the present condition of the country would have the effect of retarding, instead of accelerating its accomplishment, and of continuing, if not adding to, the difficulties under which the Southern people labour." Robert E Lee

Has anyone noticed that the articles about trying to erase the civil war are allowing no comment. Is that because WKS thinks we will remark at how silly these people are? Hope we won't soon become like south Africa.

MAGA, you can start a business if you could get past all the regulations from the consultants who lobby Congress to make it harder for the poor guy. Trump is eliminating all the red tape BS that the crooks put in place to keep the little guy down.

Colin Karpernick has the legal right to protest all he wants to. NO ONE has the right to physically attack him for his protest. The government does not have the right to arrest or prosecute him in any way for his peaceful protest. However, the fans have a right to hate him for it. His employers have the right to fire him for it (according to whatever contract they signed). Other teams have the right to not hire him. McDonald's has the right to drop him as a spokesperson. His "rights" don't require me to like him or to hire him. Same with extreme groups like Antifa and the KKK. They have the right to peaceful protest. They have the right to expect police protection for their protest. No one has the right to physically attack them. You have the right to dislike them. You don't have to hire them of associate with them. But they have the same rights that Kerpernick has. If I were to hit Karpernick upside the head with a brick while he was protesting, I would go to jail for assault. If I were to hit an Antifa or KKK protester upside the head during a protest, apparently I would be called a "counter protester".

I like how all the racist in this post say the KKK have a right to protest but Colin Kapernick doesn't. I haven't seen any evidence that counter protestors were violent at all. I saw a crowd of white nationalists with torches encircle and intimidate and if I was there and holding with my permit I would have shot them based on stand your ground law. I'm glad these individuals are losing there jobs and standings even though I know several being identified are leading republicans which doesn't surprise me. It's sad.

Remember everyone, it's okay to "punch a nazi" but you just can't actually be one. If you run over agitators standing in the street, Trump made you do it. Oh, I almost forgot, black people are not able to be racist.

Bob H., I've got a recent example for you: VENEZUELA. And Joe S., I wonder if you realize you are admitting that King Zero did less than nothing to address the income inequality that exists in this country if only exacerbating the problem. Specifically through socialist programs he instituted via the bank bail-out ("too big to fail") and the famed Obamacare ("if you like your doctor"). Both increased the taxpayer burden. Socialism gives us marxism which begets communism, the system which almost killed anywhere from 20 to 70 million people in the 20th century. (But true socialism/communism has never been tried, right guys?) And James S, there were bats, sticks, batons, shields, helmets, rocks, bottles and flamethrowers on both sides of the protest, so blaming one side over the other for inciting violence is being disingenuous. Now let's get back to tearing down some statues so we can never learn from history.

Good grief Joe - You actually believe that capitalism is bad and socialism is good? America was founded on the right for anyone - and I mean anyone - to have equal opportunity under the law. Yes Joe, in America you actually have the opportunity to create a business of your own, the chance to start it, grow it, sell it, and yes - make all the money you want from it. Trouble is, you actually have to do something for yourself (i.e. actually start it and tend to it), and therein lies the problem. You won't do that because it takes time and energy. Instead you would rather it just be given to you because, well, because you think you deserve it. Socialism creates laziness, crybabies and #SnowFlakes, and takes 90% of your earned money (taxation without representation) to get you those roads and bridges. Today's liberals (Socialists) actually believe that the Constitution requires people to like them. Not! If you want to have more money - learn to earn it - do something about it - stand tall, get on your feet and do something of value. Get the tax system reformed to 15% on small business and watch this country sing bigly! I'm just getting started but I'll stop here.

I don't think it is the roads, police force, or military that people complain about when discussing socialism. These are paid by everyone and used by everyone. It's the taking of goods from an individual and giving said goods to another individual. Especially if one of these individuals works and the other doesn't. Even in a communist society, everyone was expected to work. "Each according to his ability".

We had eight years of a widening gap in wealth between the super wealthy and the rest of us under Obama, MAGA. That's why you feel poorer. If anything, a purest would call it capitalism and not socialism. Actually, socialism gives us public roads, public fire departments, public police and armed forces. Why is that a bad concept?
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Nope Soultrain - not Alex Jones...just a very real American that loves his President. After 8 years of Socialism in the making, I'm just very happy that America is on an about face in the right direction. I am thankful now everyday for getting to talk to good people like yourself who defend their views, as weird as they may be.

Looks like maybe James gotta a bit windy since responses after his are directed to comments that were perhaps deleted? In any event James, the republican party is not the party of hate - but I think this thread might have shown us who actually is hate filled. This entire pathetic event was sponsored by none other than George Soros, who loves to pit one American against another. #WakeUpAmerica - there is evil in this world but it's not driven by one sole organization or community of people. It's comprised of many. And yes Soultrain, BLM is another Soros Community born in the era of Barry himself. It's filled with people who hate others and it's name alone stands for racism, taller than any confederate statue ever has. Just learn to 'love one another' as our Eternal Father asks us to do. That goes much further than this single event.

When any group comes along and helps to strain racial tensions (whether it be BLM or the KKK), a pendulum swing in the opposite direction in another part of society is to be expected. But excusing violence due to historical prejudice and perceived injustice is not constructive whatsoever. Playing into the oppressed vs. oppressor nonsense. ISIS also likes tearing down statues so that history can be re-written. Where is the outrage from the left when an extremist group of Islam commits an act of terror in the name of Mohammed? The modern left seems to be first to jump up and say "#NotAllMuslims" for those cases, but now it is all white Americans that are Nazis because of their skin color and the fact that they're nationalists? Unless you're talking about the comment section, there is no direct reference to Adolph Hitler or Nazis in this article itself; only white nationalists.

Soultrain. So this is all about history and not what went on this weekend? If you want to talk history,how about looking up which party supported the KKK in the 60's. Look up which party freed the slaves. I dont support white supremacy but I do support the right to peacefully protest. What if the counter protesters had let them protest? Would there have been violence? Probably not. Hate was on both sides and when they came together it exploded.

Of course not, Bob. But they're first to deride others for their "bigotry" and "racism/sexism/xenophobia" etc. Evoking Godwin's Law in the first comment section of the article is rich indeed. "Everyone I Don't Like Is Hitler: A Child's Guide to Online Political Discussion" or current year's alternate: "Everyone I Don't Like Is A Russian (Hacker): The Emotional Child's Guide to Avoid Taking Responsibility for Your Crimes"

Correct me if I'm wrong but I don't recall James coming on here and criticizing the BLM movement for burning down cities or the Occupy Wall Street violence. Conservatives come on here and criticize any side that is guilty of violence. The left just can not get past their ideology.

It's not the failure of our schools Joe, it's the success of the hate filled right wing propaganda network that's what it is. That' is what the the right wing Republican machine has become, A hate mongering racist, homophobic mind distorted group of sick individuals that fear and hate everything and everyone. And we need to continue to call him exactly that. They do not need to be let off the hook any longer for their murdering nazi ways. They are NOT the party of Christ. They do not have ANY Christian values whatsoever. They live the lies they speak of daily. They are desperate to hold on to their dying legacy of hate clinging to their losing southern flags and praying to Hitler. And their Russian appointed leader trump adores each and every one of them.

_ H. Today roughly four percent of Mauritania, Africa is enslaved one out of every 25 people. You will never hear the people whining about slavery of 150 years ago address this or the 29 million slaves currently held world-wide.

@ Judy T.: "...then eventually history will repeat itself and slavery will return."
I will argue that slavery is alive and well, just as it has been all throughout history. The issue we face today is a limited view of history: the definition of "slavery," in the context of USA groupthink, has been narrowed to mean nothing other than the division between the Union and the Confederacy and the African American slave trade prevalent in both camps.
The first example I present is the child-trafficking industry. Even though I do not source my personal worldview from mainstream media sources, here is an ABC article on this topic: http://abcnews.go.com/US/domestic-sex-trafficking-increasing-united-states/story?id=10557194
The issue here involves involuntary and / or indentured servitude which, by my understanding, is the definition of slavery.
Next is the issue of sex trafficking. Again, I abhor mainstream media, especially CNN, but I reference those sources to present the issues from a perspective that may be familiar to most individuals: http://www.cnn.com/2015/07/20/us/sex-trafficking/index.html
As stated above, this industry also forces individuals into a service devoid of volition.
The last example I will offer is a burden most of us in the USA bear today: debt slavery. We are forced to engage in commerce within the confines of a debt-based financial system: debt, or paper notes "valuating" said debt, is monetized and traded as currency. Our neo-modern system of governance prevents direct ownership of assets: you must pay a fee (tax) to pretend to own property, and / or you must pay a fee to conduct commerce, such as licensing fees. This differs from medieval serfdom only as much as technology has made it much easier for those within the halls of power to extract your physical and intellectual wealth.
If people wish to continue bickering about confederate flags, monuments, and every other distraction promulgated by mass media, we might as well be discussing the internment of Asian Americans during WWII, the Trail of Tears, or the Bolshevik occupation of the Baltics, et.al.

The level of ignorance displayed by some of your comments would be funny, if it weren't so sad. I want my country back from all you far out right wing nut jobs. Thank god you are an insulated minority and the general populace disagrees with everything you stand for. Christians my a $$! CINO!

Hears a thought. What would of happened if there were no media there to give either side a platform to advance their hate for each other? With no media platform these extremists on both side could be regulated to the dust bin of history and the normal people could find a way to make things right without changing our history. If you do not learn from history you are doomed to repeat it. We can not change our history. So all we can do is learn from it. You have to marginalize the extremists on both side. You have to teach our children that there was good as well as bad in our past history. We as parents must teach them the difference between the two and hope the lesson sticks.

This was a prime example of the communists attacking Americans. The government did nothing to protect the Americans who were gathering to give peaceful speeches. It did nothing while the communists assaulted those trying to peacefully assemble. The communists were attacking with clubs. The communists were throwing bombs filled with urine. The communists were throwing rocks and using pepper spray. The two groups were separated, until the government decided that the violent actions of the communists meant that the Americans could not gather and give speeches. Then the cops forced the Americans to exit the park in single file into the crowds of violent communists. There are pictures of the communists using aerosol cans as flame throwers. Diversity plus proximity equals war. This has always been the case and the "diversity is our strength" platitudes will not change it.

I figure that they will allow the bullies to remove all symbols of the civil war. Isn't there a warning about people not learning from history repeating it? If that is the case then eventually history will repeat itself and slavery will return.

Frank S.: This type of activity is not only permitted anymore by authorities, it is fostered by other interests who are intent on keeping the people divided over social, racial, and political positions. Example: http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2015/jan/14/george-soros-funds-ferguson-protests-hopes-to-spur/ I'm sure you are familiar with Sun Tzu's "The Art of War," so I'll spare the quotes. "War" is precisely what is being fomented to keep the public eye off of the larger game. Pay no attention to the man behind the curtain...

Frank S. Your post is spot on. Though I don't agree with extremists on either side we all have the right to free speech and expression. If the protesters were allowed to peacefully protest there would have been no violence. This reminds me of when the mayor Baltimore said she was going to allow the Black Lives Matter Movement "get out their frustrations". As far as Trump not calling out the White Nationalists,he spoke against the violence on all sides.

From what I saw, watching this event unfold, it appears the left was determined to prevent the right from having a legal protest. The left came prepared to physically attack the right. The right came prepared to physically defend themselves. Why was this allowed to happen? Why are people, wearing body armor and carrying shields and clubs, allowed at such an event? Why were the two sides not separated? Why is it OK to prevent a legal protest with physical violence today? The "counter protesters" didn't come to "protest". They came to physically attack the protesters. Sure, there were many reprehensible people in the right, but they STILL had the right to protest. We used to say " I don't agree with what you say, but I defend your right to say it". Now we say, "I don't agree with what you say, and I'll prevent you from saying it by force". And the authorities stand back and let it happen.

James, conversely you don't like this President because of the color of his skin. You are a racist too. Silly P. did Black Lives Matter groups vote for Obama, you bet. Black Panthers stood outside voting booths to intimidate and no one got arrested. If you people would have left the rebels alone and not wanted to move their hero, General Lee, maybe there wouldn't have been a problem? General Lee to them is what Dr. MLK is to you James, a hero. Just my perception as I am a Yankee and find this Sillius.

James S.: I'll take a guess that you've never bothered to look into the Hyde Amendment. Here's a simple, politically neutral search result to help you: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hyde_Amendment
Never mind... I would, however, be interested to know the current rate for trolling comment sections. What is it now, $0.35 / post? Or do you do it just for the laughs?

This was a tragic and very volatile event which was unfortunately fueled by the actions of the counter protestors. However, this does not excuse anyone from resorting to violence. Both sides of this event are extremists and the end result was predictable. Everyone was exercising their first amendment rights pointing their fingers and blaming the other side; however, the fact still remains that both sides are reprehensible. The confederate flag has been hijacked and misused for far too long. Wanting to eradicate the confederate flag and all confederate monuments from the civil war era is equally disturbing as the misuse of the confederate flag for events like this in Charlottesville. Communists rub out parts of history for their own political motives, let's not go down the road of political correctness.

Sad and needless death and violence... It's terrorism. Although, You wont hear our President call it that. You won't even hear him condemn white nationalism or Neo-Nazis. He wont condemn them because they make up a sizable portion of his voter base. With all of the debate about Confederate Flags in Paducah lately, here is proof that it is really all about hate and not heritage. When a confederate statue was being taken down, who shows up to defend it? Klansmen and Nazis. Nah, that flag isn't racist at all. Go ahead, Rebel flag wavers, keep observing that "Alternate patriotism."